Associate Dean of Tribal Health Affairs named
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu
Dr. Douglas Nolan has been named Associate Dean of Tribal Health Affairs for the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, according to Dr. Dennis Blankenship, interim dean of the OSU-COM.
Nolan began his medical career at W.W. Hastings Hospital in 2003 and has since served as the diabetes program medical director, graduate medical education director, and the program director for the Family Medicine Residency, a program from which many current Cherokee Nation Health Services physicians were recruited. He is a 2000 graduate of OSU-COM.
“We are excited to have Dr. Nolan join our Cowboy family," Blankenship said. "His extensive experience with Cherokee Nation Health Services will allow us to develop and grow new initiatives with our tribal nations as well as enhance our existing partnership with the Cherokee Nation. Our priority of educating students in a rural environment for all four years of medical school will change the face of rural health care delivery for generations to come. All of this reinforces our mission to educate the next generation of health care professionals to serve underserved, rural and tribal communities in Oklahoma."
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Nolan join our team at OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation. His experience with graduate medical education programs will help us grow our residency programs with our sovereign nation partners,” said Dr. Natasha Bray, interim dean of the OSU-COM at Cherokee Nation.
“In his new role Dr. Nolan will assist in aligning OSU-COM, the Cherokee Nation and other tribal nations as we move toward a bright future producing more physicians for our tribal health care systems and across rural Oklahoma,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.
Dr. Nolan will focus on medical student recruitment and retention, resident program development for tribal nations, and advocating for the advancement of tribal health care.
“I have enjoyed working with the wonderful administration, providers, and other staff members at CNHS and my favorite has always been patient care" Nolan said. “CNHS has allowed me to provide meaningful work and care for my family, friends, and neighbors and I know that in my absence the health system will continue to provide the highest quality of care. In fact, my new role will help ensure this.”